Sherman Fleming is a performance artist, who began performing in the 1970s after being introduced to “Happenings.” In graduate school he created a character, “RODFORCE,” that he performed as. He tells A.M. Weaver about the difficulty of finding performance role models since there were few black male performers. His art is public, and about issues of race and masculinity and is intentionally provocative.

His most recent project is “n00se,” in which he wears a rope noose around his neck in public, interacting with people who react to him. The piece was provoked by the recent uptick in racist actions and especially the shootings of black men. Sherman has been wearing the noose for a year.